26 January 2017 — Past readers of SkierNet.com et al may recall “throwback Thursday” was a regular column in which I set my sights on the little guys, the hidden gems, small-but-mighty, etc. For those of you who think skiing is synonymous only with places like Stowe or Lutsen or Sun Valley, come along and we’ll show you what you’re missing. Liftlines, pricey tickets, far-flung parking lots with bumpy shuttle rides, on-slope photo services and phony base villages need not apply…first up is the Golden State, where there are more of these throwback ski areas than you can probably imagine…probably the best known of these is Badger Pass in Yosemite National Park, or should I say, Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area. Problem is the Park Service is in a bit of a kerfuffle with a previous concessionaire and all the naming rights are in dispute. To wit, the Ahwahnee Hotel is now being called the “Grand Yosemite” and Curry Village is now “Half Dome Village,” and so goeth Badger Pass. Whatever it’s called, it’s a terrific 800′ operation in the high Sierras with a triple chair and a top ticket price of $47, which is fantastic…up north a bit is arguably the throwback of throwbacks, Cedar Pass Snow Park which operates as a community type non-profit under permit in the Modoc National Forest. Rope tow for beginners, plus a T-bar that services the summit. They also offer rentals, lessons, and pay all volunteers with a free ticket. They opened up earlier this month (January 10 to be precise) and they’re open every Saturday as long as the snow holds out. Top ticket price is around twenty bucks, kids are cheaper, beginners are free. They also maintain some sort of XC trails, which are also free. The photo above gives you an idea of the scope of this place; what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in beauty and atmosphere…and for those who are all about the throwback but aren’t so much into the outback, Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe is just what the doctor ordered. This is a fully modern resort with old-fashioned high quality service, and 300′ or so of groomed wonderful perfection. Lift runs Friday through Monday during daytime hours and they offer a complete ski shop, lessons, rentals, and a darn nice log pole warming “hut.” They also have a top-notch XC Center to please your nordie friends…Southern Cali has its own selection of vintage operations, most notable in my mind is Mt. Waterman. Years go by and the lifts dangle high and dry, but that is not this year! Waterman is positively buried, and since they’re only open Saturdays and Sundays, conditions are stellar. If you live in the LA area and you’ve thought about Waterman but never done it, this is the year to go. Remember to bring all your gear from down below and gas up first — no rentals, no gas stations. top ticket price is $50 and they serve up three chairlifts and 1030′ of pure skiing pleasure…Oregon we gotta talk about Cooper Spur. Now this is on the ramparts of Mt. Hood, but it’s on the northeast side, well removed from the activity and hubbub over in the Govvy (that’s Government Camp in skier speak). This is another of those areas that has touch-and-go seasons, but this season they are definitely GO and they’ll reopen tomorrow evening for the weekend. Top ticket price is $36 and Cooper Spur has rentals, lessons, and all the amenities of a full service resort, with lodging, cabins, and darn nice dining…in Washington State, where do we begin? Lots of old school ski/snowboard operations, Mt Baker is probably the best known; lifts run hither and yon, and don’t think you’re going up the first thing you see unless you’ve got some chops…Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park is definitely old school; don’t head up that road unless you’re prepared to ride a poma lift. It’s wonderful, it’s run by volunteers, and we’re glad they do it…Leavenworth Ski Club is another one of those non-profit Forest Service lease areas that offers every type of winter activity you can think of, right on the edge of a cool Bavarian style community. This Saturday the ski hill is doing a “Chicks on Sticks” fundraiser for breast cancer, so if you were looking to get out of the greater Seattle area this weekend, Leavenworth would be a good place to go…back tomorrow with a regular news round up…remember if you want any of our cool free Ski Bum stickers, just forward your mailing address to sticker@skibum.net…

Photo courtesy Cedar Pass Snow Park